Loose-leaf binder



Feb. 9, 1954 R. ANGL|N LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Filed July 2,- 1952 v INVENTOR Rw/m/"a 14/19 ZJ/L ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 9, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to loose leaf binders and more particularly to expansible binders for storing leaves or slips such as medicine prescriptions.

The storing of prescriptions in the minimum of space but in such manner that they may be made readily available for reference is greatly facilitated by using loose leaf binders wherein the binding elements are capable of a large expansion movement to permit compressing of the sheets into a small space during storage, but allowing them to be easily spread so that any one sheet can be fully inspected during use. A device of this nature is illustrated in my previous Patent No. 2,504,783 which issued April 18, 1950.

The present invention provides a device having the characteristics of extensive expansion as in my prior patent but is constructed in a slightly different fashionv to give improved loading facility and more flexible cover movement, Achievement of these features together with extensive expansibility in the binding elements therefore is an object of this invention.

The foregoing object is achieved by providing on the back member of the binder a cooperating guide and a slide member; the latter having an elevated end portion to which is pivotally connected a U-shaped member forming portions of the telescoping binder posts. Slidable on each leg of the U is the other portion of each binder post and its free end is releasably retained in a locking support carried by the back member in a position opposite the raised end of the slide so that the post ends can be readily freed for loading or unloading the binder.

Cooperating means on the guides and slide are arranged to prevent their complete separation and are designed also normally to prevent separation of the parts of the telescoping posts. However the parts of the posts are preferably actually separable, and when they are detached from the locking support the posts may be separated for special purposes as desired.

The present invention also includes certain advantageous features of construction including the manufacture of the guides and the locking support as an integral member and improved locking means for holding the post ends firmly on the locking support.

Another feature of the. invention is the provivision of novel grasping means enabling the binder to be readily withdrawn from a storage receptacle or shelf where it isplaced in close proximity to other binders and so closed-in that grasping of the sides is not convenient. I

Still another featureof the invention resides in the provision of a handle for manipulating the slide, so arranged that it is convenient for grasping and still does not detract from. the sheet holding capacity of the binder.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of means for temporarily uniting the; removable sections of the binder posts for simultaneous handling to simplify inserting or removing sheets at the center of the pack.v

Additional features and advantages will hereinafter appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a, perspective view of. the binder of this invention with the covers open flat, with the slide moved to expanded position and with the. locking support adjusted to release the bindin posts which are raised to loading position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the. device of Fig 1 with the post ends secured in the locking sup.- port and with the slide and posts partly expanded for inspection of one of the sheets.

Fig. 3 is a section of the device of Figs. 1 and 2. drawn to a slightly larger scale, taken through the axis of one of the telescoping binder posts and through one of the guides for the slide. Av

central sectional view of the Wall portion which pivotally supports the telescopic posts is also incorporated to illustrate in detail the configuration. of the parts. I

Fig. 4 is a section drawn to the same scale as Fig. 3 and taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 1, but showing the slide in retracted position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section similar to the left hand portion of Fig. 4 and illustrating the parts in locked position with the end of the telescoping post in place.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the binder fully loaded and in closed position ready for storage, drawn to a reduced scale.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevation partly'in section illustrating temporary uniting means for the separable portions of the binder posts.

Fig. 8 is a section taken substantially on line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

In the illustrated embodiment of the inven tion, the device consists of. a binder having a. back member I I, to the oppositev edges to which are hinged cover members [3 and 15. The back member H carries a pair of parallel. facing guides I1 and is which receive between them a slide. Preferably the guide members 11 7 member 2|. and I9 are formed by beingstruck up from a.

which is formed by bending up the end of the plate 23 and which is to be more fully described hereinafter. The plate 23 is suitably secured to the back member H, for example, by rivets 29. The slide 2| extends nearly across the width of the back member II when in retracted position, and is arranged to project the greater part of its length to a position overlying the cover when in its fully expanded position as shown in Fig. 1. The slide 2| is preferably arranged to be nonremovable. from the guides H and IS in order to prevent the possibility of inadvertent separation of the posts under normal circumstances of use. This feature is achieved in an effective but very simple manner by downwardly embossing portions near the corners of the slide 2| as indicated by reference character 3| in Fig. 3. The embossments 3| may be conveniently provided if the guides l1 are pierced to provide openings 33 above the points where the embossments are desired and the embossing operation is performed before the plate 23 is secured to the back As can be seen in Fig. 3 the embossments 3| will encounter the end of the slots from which the guide members i1 and I9 have been struck. This end is indicated by reference numeral 35 in Fig. 3 and serves as a stop to limit the degree of outward movement permitted to the slide 2|. The slide 2| is bent up at its outer end to form a vertical wall portion 31, the upper end of which is rolled over to form a bearing 39. A wire loop 4|, or other suitable handle, is pivotally connected with the wall portion 31 to permit ready grasping of the same for moving the slide in and out to expand and collapse the binders. The handle 4| is preferably very flat and arranged to lie against the wall portion 31 when not in use so that the binder mechanism can approach as closely to the binder hinges as possible and make available the maximum sheet holding capacity for a sheet binder of given size.

One end of each of a pair of telescopic binder posts 43 is pivotally secured to the uppermost portion of the wall portion 31. Preferably these portions of the posts are a unitary structure formed by bending of a rod or tube into a U form, thus providing a. central bearing section 45 received within the bearing 39 and two parallel end sections 41 forming part of the telescoping posts 43. The other portion of each telescoping post 43 consists of a sleeve or rod 49 of about the same length as each member 41 and slidably received thereon or therein. For the purpose of convenience the U-shaped member has been shown as a rod and the portions slidable thereon as sleeves. It will be understood, however, that this relationship may be reversed if desired without departing from the invention. The form illustrated herein is the one at present preferred. One end of each sleeve 49 adjacent the bearin 39 is smoothly tapered as indicated by reference character 5| so as to pass in and out of the sheet perforations without snagging or unduly wearing the margins of the latter. The other end of the sleeve 49 has an annular recess 53 for making firm connection with the locking mechanism about to be described.-

As seen especially in Figs. 4 and 5, the upstanding supporting plate 21 which, as previously described, is preferably formed as the bent up end of the plate 23, has a pair of upwardly opening notches 55 shaped and spaced to receive the ends of the sleeves 49 and having marginal and edge portions which enter the annular recesses 53 of the sleeves. A locking plate 51 lidab y mounted on the supporting plate 21 for limited movement transversely of the direction of the extension of posts 43 and parallel to the back The mounting of the plate 51 may be achieved in any suitable fashion, but the preferred form consists of a pair of studs or rivets 59 which ex tend from the support plate 21 and slide in suitable slots 6| formed in the locking plate 51. The ends of the locking plate 51 are bent around the ends of the support plate 21 as indicated by reference character 53 so as to form guides to provide for smoothly guided motion of the locking plate 51 on the supporting plate 21. A pair of upwardly opening L-shaped slots in the locking plate 51 are arranged to register with the slots 55 in one end position of the locking plate so that the ends of the sleeves 49 may be placed in or removed from the notches 55. When the ends of the sleeves 43 ar within the notches the locking plate 51 may be slid to the position shown in Fig. 5 so that the opening of the slots 55 is effectively closed and the ends of the sleeves 49 are retained in place by those portions of locking plate 51 which overlie the horizontal portions of the L-shaped slots 65. Horizontal movement of the sleeves 49 is then prevented by the reception of the bottom margins of notches 55 within the annular grooves 53, any tendency for this engagement to be released being effectively forestalled by the overlying portions of locking plate 51.

In Figs. '1 and 8 is illustrated means for uniting the sleeves 43 when their separation from member 41 is contemplated for any reason. This means comprises a connecting yoke 61 carrying a pair of parallel sockets 69 separated by a distance equal to the normal spacing of the telescoping posts 43. The sockets 69 are of a size to receive snugly the ends of sleeves 49 and are provided with spring clips 1| entering each socket for engagement in the annular groove 53 of the corresponding sleeve 49. One example of a suitable structure for this purpose includes a short straight slot 13 cut through the wall of each socket to receive the straight portion 15 of a spring clip 1|. The straight portion 15 serves both as a spring element for entering the annular groove 33 to retain the sleeve 49 and also as means to prevent removal of the spring clip 1| from the connector 61. A curved portion 11 is a continuation of the straight portion 15 and embraces the socket 69 to help retain the spring clip in place and furnish a basis for the spring action of the straight portion 15. While the action of the spring clips will normally be such that the sleeves 49 may be inserted and withdrawn quite readily, the clip 1| merely acting as a friction detent, the clips 1| may also be provided with finger pieces 19 to release the grip of the clips on the sleeves if a more positive reten tion of the sleeves 49 is desired or should inadvertently occur.

The mouths of sockets 69 are preferably belled as indicated by reference character 8| to assist in guiding the ends of sleeves 49 into place within the sockets.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 6, the back element H of the binder is provided near one edge, preferably the lower edge, with an opening 83 about in diameter, preferably bound by a metal grommet 85. By means of this opening it is possible to grasp any desired binder and withdraw it quickly to a usable position from its storage place even though the binders are snugly fitted on sleeves or in pigeonholes which do not admit of r di y grasping the edges of the back member H. The binder can be withdrawn from its storage place by merely inserting the tip of one finger into the opening 85 and drawing outwardly against the inner margin "of the opening with the finger tip. 1

In using the binder of this invention, substantially the full width dimension of the back member H may be occupied by sheets such as prescriptions, when the binder is in stored position as seen in Fig. 6. This does not prevent a clear view of the full surface of any desired sheet however, for when the cover members l3 and I are opened out flat, the handle 4| may be grasped and drawn outwardly until the embossments 3| strike the stop surfaces 35. The binder is then in the position shown in Fig. 2 (except that the slide 2| would be somewhat farther extended) with plenty of room provided for spreading the sheets at the location in the stack where the desired sheet is found. When the binder is to be returned to storage, the end wall 31 is pressed until the slide 2| is fully retracted, and the covers l3 and I5 are then closed.

Sheets in a prescription file are normally added serially at one end of the stack of sheets, and this operation is greatly facilitated by the present structure. To add another sheet the covers are first opened. The locking plate 51 is moved to unlocking position as in Fig. 4, and the posts 43 are swung about the axis of the bearing portion 45 until they reach a more-or-less erect position. This is substantially the position of Fig. 1 except that the slide 2| would be fully in and the posts 43 fully telescoped. The next sheet, after being punched, is then readily slipped over the posts and the post ends returned to notches 55 in the support plate 21. When the locking plate is slid to the Fig. 5- position the posts are again secured and the binder is ready to be returned to storage or to be expanded for viewing.

It can be seen that the extraordinary convenience of the binder of the present invention is due in large measure to the fact that the telescopic posts 43 have the ends opposite the hinged ends free, i. e. they are devoid of any interconnecting bar or the like until they are locked in position in the notches 55. This property of the posts may best be set out by describing them as free-ended, and such designation will be used hereinafter to indicate this feature.

At times it is desirable to insert or withdraw a sheet at the center of the bound stack. This can be conveniently accomplished by releasing the post ends by shifting the locking plate 51 as e described in the previous paragraph. When the posts have been raised free of the notches 55,- their ends may be inserted into the sockets 69 of uniting member 61 shown in Figs. 7 and 8, until frictionally or positively gripped by spring clips 1|. Then both sleeves 49 may be withdrawn from the rod members 41 carrying with them any desired portion of the sheet stack, and leaving the remainder threaded on the members 41. The sheet in question may then be removed or added at this selected location and the sleeves 49 returned to telescoped position on members 41. The uniting member 61 may then be removed from sleeves 49 by holding the latter and withdrawing the member 61, or by first operating the finger pieces 19 if necessary and then withdrawing the uniting member 61. The post ends are then returned to locked position as previously described.

From the foregoing description it can be seen that. the present. invention provides-an expansible binder whichis exceedingly flexible in operation and convenient for loading or removing sheets at one end of the stack or at locations intermediate the ends of the stack, and one which achieves this flexibility and convenience without sacrifice of sheet holding capacity.

Variations and modifications may he made within the scope of the claims'and portions of the improvements may be used'without others.

I claim? 1. A loose leaf binder comprising a back; two covers hinged to the back for opening and closing movement; a slide mounted on said back for translatory movement between a position wholly overlying said back and an extended position partially overlying one of said covers when the latter is opened parallel to said back; telescopic, free-ended, sheet impaling posts including separable sections hinged to the outermost end of said slide; means adjacent the hinge connection of said other cover for receiving and locking the unhinged ends of said posts, the mounting for said slide having interfering portions preventing separation of said slide from said back, and said telescopic posts having an expanded length sufiicient to prevent separation of their sections when said slide is fully extended over said cover and said unhinged post ends are held by said locking means; and means for releasably connecting the sections of the telescopic posts in predetermined relation adjacent the unhinged ends when desired for concerted movement away from said hinged sections to a separated position when released from said locking means to provide .for introduction or removal of a sheet from the central portion of a bound pack of sheets.

2. A loose leaf binder comprising a back; two covers hinged to the back for opening and closing movement; an upstanding support element on said back adjacent one of the cover hinges; a slide mounted on said back for translatory movement towards and away from said support element between a position wholly overlying said back and an extended position partially overlying the other of said covers when the latter is opened parallel to said back; telescopic, freeended, sheet impaling posts hinged to the end of said slide remote from said support element, said support element having upwardly facing notches for receiving the unhinged ends of said posts, said posts adjacent their unhinged ends having recessed portions designed to embrace the margins of said notches when the ends are placed thereon; means to releasably lock said post ends in said notches, said telescopic sheet impaling posts including connected elements jointly hinged to the end of the slide and constrained to remain parallel and swing together, and separate unconnected elements one slidably and removably associated with each of the jointly hinged elements; and yoke means for releasably connecting the unconnected post elements when released from said locking means for jointly withdrawing said unconnected post elements from the hinged post elements and jointly returning them thereto to introduce or remove a sheet from the central portion of a bound pack of sheets.

RICHARD AN GLIN (References on following page) 8 I References in the 1118 Of thispatent V P UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Country Date Number Name Date 174,871 Great Britain 1922 772,847 Suckert Oct. 18, 1904 5 293,823 Great Britain 1928 835,171 Walker Nov. 6, 1906 489,841 Germany 1930 1,207,305 Leitz D80. 5, 19 6 412,720 Great Britain 1934 1,491,820 Pontius Apr. 29, 1924 116,225 Australia 1942 1,954,265 Schade Apr. 10, 1934 479,924 Canada 1949 2,148,789 Unger Feb. 28, 1939 10 2,528,135 Goldsmith -1 Oct. 31,1950 

